Undressing Intimacy

In Episode 94, we apply the concept of fleeting joy directly to the bedroom and our sexual relationships. We discuss why sexual intimacy is often the place where we feel the most exposed, which can trigger anxiety, performance, or dissociation instead of true connection. For spontaneous desire spouses, finding joy in intimacy means learning not to extract validation from your partner and dropping...

In Episode 93, we dive into the core foundation of a thriving marriage by exploring concepts from Scott Austin Martin's book, Safe: The Minimum Standard for Intimacy . We tackle a word that often acts as a major trigger for husbands: "safe". Because men are traditionally raised to be providers and protectors, hearing their wives say "I don't feel safe" can feel like a direct accusation that they a...

In Episode 92, we tackle the complex and sometimes controversial topic of purity culture. For many couples who grew up with a heavy emphasis on strict sexual behavior and modesty, the resulting anxiety and shame can create difficult roadblocks in marriage. We discuss the confusion of being taught that having natural sexual thoughts or feelings makes you "impure" or a "sexual deviant," and how that...

In Episode 91, we tackle one of the most challenging seasons for a relationship: rebuilding emotional and physical intimacy while raising babies and toddlers,. We answer a listener's question about how to ask for connection when your spouse is completely exhausted and giving everything they have to the children. We explore why bids for intimacy often get misinterpreted as added pressure or demands...

In Episode 90, we take a deep dive into female sexuality, anatomy, and arousal. We explore the historical myths and shame that have surrounded female pleasure, explaining how women's sexuality has often been mislabeled as a medical illness, sinful, or performative. We discuss how the female body is exquisitely designed for pleasure and the importance of women owning their desires at any age. We al...

Title: Discovering Your Sexual Blueprint: The 5 Types of Arousal and Desire Episode Description: In Episode 89, we dive into the fascinating world of somatic sexologist Jaiya and her five erotic blueprints. If you have ever felt like you and your spouse are speaking two completely different languages in the bedroom, this framework will change everything. By understanding how your body and nervous...

In Episode 88, we have the incredible privilege of interviewing our friend and coaching client, Jared. Jared openly shares his personal journey of confronting his use of pornography, realizing it had become a way to escape the stresses of life and find a "counterfeit" feeling of desire. He discusses the pivotal moment when he shifted from trying to fix or change his wife to taking full ownership o...

In Episode 87, we dive into a deeply personal and vulnerable topic: what happens when you feel like you are losing attraction to your spouse. Amy opens up about a time when she confessed to our mentor, Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, that she wasn't sure she was attracted to Greg anymore. Through a tough but necessary coaching session, Amy discovered that her "loss of attraction" was actually a defen...

In Episode 86, we are tackling a growing modern trend: the emergence of technology like ChatGPT and AI in relationships. While AI can be a fantastic tool for organizing data or summarizing coaching sessions, turning to it for relationship advice can be a dangerous trap. Because AI models are programmed to validate the user and seek a "thumbs up," they are inherently narcissistic and will often tel...

After taking a week off, we are back and ready to add some practical spice to the foundational concepts we've been discussing. While we usually focus heavily on the emotional principles and meanings behind connection, in Episode 85, we are taking a detour into the actual techniques and mechanics of physical intimacy. For years, many responsive desire spouses (often women) have approached sex from...

 While we are busy painting houses, unpacking boxes, and helping move our grandbaby across the country, we are rolling back the tape to bring you a replay of one of our absolute favorite (and most listened-to) past episodes. In Episode 84, we dive deep into the fundamental differences between male and female eroticism. We explore Dr. Emily Nagoski's concept of "non-concordant arousal," unpacking h...

Are you and your spouse constantly stuck in a power struggle over who is "right" and who is "wrong"? In Episode 83, we dive into the discomfort of uncertainty in marriage and why trying to "solve" your relationship differences is actually pushing you further apart. Growing up, many of us were taught that there is a strict black-and-white way to do life, which makes the inevitable differences in ma...

What happens when someone from the outside—like an extended family member or in-law—starts impacting your marriage? Whether it's a mother-in-law trying to take over with a new baby, expectations to fund expensive family vacations, or navigating the dynamics of a parent moving into your home, these outside influences can create massive conflict between you and your spouse. In Episode 82, we explore...

Are you or your spouse using narcissistic habits to cope with hidden insecurities? In Episode 81, we clarify that we aren't talking about clinical Narcissistic Personality Disorder, but rather the everyday coping strategies people use to regulate unstable self-esteem through external validation. We dive deep into the two sides of the narcissism coin: overt and covert. Greg shares his past as an "o...

Ever wonder why one of you is always ready to go (foot on the gas) while the other needs everything to be "just right" before getting in the mood (foot on the brake)? If you are constantly navigating mismatched desire, you are not broken—you just have different operating systems! In this episode, we dive into Emily Nagoski's "Dual Control Model" to explore the specific accelerators and brakes that...

Episode Description: What do you do when your marriage is built on a great foundation of friendship and teamwork, but your sexual intimacy feels stagnant and stuck in a box that you are terrified to open? In Episode 79, we are joined by our amazing clients, Nikki and Michael, who bravely share their two-year coaching journey from living with hidden shame to creating a deeply connected, passionate...

Title: How to Bring Back the Spark: Reconnecting After Marriage Conflict Episode Description: Ever tried hanging wallpaper with your spouse? If you have, you know how quickly a simple home project can turn into a tense power struggle! In Episode 78, we use our own recent wallpapering adventure to break down exactly why couples get stuck fighting over the small things. When constant conflict takes...

Have you ever reached out to your spouse for connection, only to realize later that you were actually just feeling anxious and needy? In Episode 77, Greg and Amy get real about the messy emotions that flare up during transitions and time apart. Greg shares a vulnerable story from his recent trip to Arizona for a horse show—which happened to fall over their 28th wedding anniversary. He opens up abo...

Title: How to Bring Back the Spark: Why Pornography Kills True Eros and How to Heal Episode Description: Is a hidden struggle silently suffocating the passion and connection in your marriage? In this deeply personal and raw episode, Greg and Amy tackle one of the most sensitive and widely misunderstood topics in modern relationships: pornography. Moving past the shame and rigid labels, Greg shares...

Are you drowning in the "Domestic Bucket" of marriage, leaving zero energy for the "Erotic Bucket"? If you feel more like exhausted roommates than passionate lovers, the culprit might not be a lack of physical desire, but the crushing weight of invisible labor. In Episode 75, Greg and Amy are joined by Dr. Adrian and Kendra Harvey to discuss how the mental load and unequal distribution of househol...

Have you ever had an amazing night of intimacy, only to wake up the next morning with completely different reactions? In this episode, Greg and Amy dissect the "Rinse and Repeat" phenomenon—where the spontaneous partner wants to immediately replicate the experience, while the responsive partner simply wants to bask in the afterglow . They explore why trying to "produce" that same magic again often...

Are you looking for the "10 steps to perfect intimacy"? In Episode 73, Greg and Amy explain why looking for certainty and checklists often kills the very spark you are trying to create. If your sex life feels like a production or a to-do list, this episode reveals why  "eroticism hates a job description" and how to shift from doing to being . In this episode, we cover: The "Checklist" Trap: Why co...

Do you find yourself fighting to win arguments rather than fighting for your relationship? In Episode 72, Greg and Amy dive deep into the difficult but necessary work of forgiveness and why holding onto resentment is a barrier to true intimacy. If you are stuck in a cycle of defensiveness or feel like you constantly need your spouse to validate you, this episode offers a roadmap out. Greg and Amy...

In Episode 71, Greg and Amy break down why "eroticism hates a job description" and how to shift from demanding outcomes to sharing authentic desires. If your intimacy feels like a "to-do list," this episode is for you. Greg and Amy discuss: • Redefining "Wholesome": Why true wholesomeness isn't about moral purity, but operating from a "whole sense of self". • The Expectation Trap: Why "expectation...

The kids are gone, the house is quiet... now what? In this milestone episode, Greg and Amy navigate the emotional and relational transition of becoming empty nesters. They open up about their own recent experience dropping their youngest off at college and the identity crisis that often follows. If you are wondering how to fill the void when the "domestic bucket" of parenting shrinks, this episode...